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Looking for some packing help..

I haven't done any backpacking for years........and when I did, it was always for fishing. Anyway, I recently purchased an Eberlestock J34. Well, last night I started packing......and I ran out of room FAST!! I know I am probably taking too much, but I'm not really sure what I need to take out. This is just going to be a short trip.....leaving today and returning Sunday. I plan on keeping track of what I use and don't use....then remove from my "packing list" when I get home.

I am thinking that I will upgrade my tent (older LL Bean 2-man "backpacking" tent) and sleeping bag (older Mtn Hardwear 20 degree Lg. mummy) in the near future and this should give me some extra room. I did not put my spike duffel on the outside, so I'm using the base 4600 cubic inches of the J34. It seemed like food took up a good bit of room.....as did extra clothes. It's gonna be warm today....but turning colder tomorrow...so I had to pack some layers. I have minimal hunting gear packed (bow, binos, rangefinder, wind checker, etc.). I probably have too many extra batteries for the GPS and two-way radio......and too much paracord, etc. I'm using a Jetboil Flash and taking two cans of fuel (could probably get by with one).

I guess I am sorta thinking out loud here......but was hoping I could get some tips/advice on how to maximize space and get by on the bare essentials.

There are several great pack lists for hunts guys posted on here that should be able to help you out. I was able to pack a 4400 CU IN pack for a 10 day Bivy hunt in Colorado this year. It was tight doing and def needed to prioritize gear but made it work and was damn comftorable the whole time we were there

I haven't done any backpacking for years........and when I did, it was always for fishing. Anyway, I recently purchased an Eberlestock J34. Well, last night I started packing......and I ran out of room FAST!! I know I am probably taking too much, but I'm not really sure what I need to take out. This is just going to be a short trip.....leaving today and returning Sunday. I plan on keeping track of what I use and don't use....then remove from my "packing list" when I get home.

I am thinking that I will upgrade my tent (older LL Bean 2-man "backpacking" tent) and sleeping bag (older Mtn Hardwear 20 degree Lg. mummy) in the near future and this should give me some extra room. I did not put my spike duffel on the outside, so I'm using the base 4600 cubic inches of the J34. It seemed like food took up a good bit of room.....as did extra clothes. It's gonna be warm today....but turning colder tomorrow...so I had to pack some layers. I have minimal hunting gear packed (bow, binos, rangefinder, wind checker, etc.). I probably have too many extra batteries for the GPS and two-way radio......and too much paracord, etc. I'm using a Jetboil Flash and taking two cans of fuel (could probably get by with one).

I guess I am sorta thinking out loud here......but was hoping I could get some tips/advice on how to maximize space and get by on the bare essentials.

Thank you in advance for any and all tips!!

To give you an idea about battery use, my Garmin Rino 120 went through a set of batteries about every 1.5 days, even with the radio turned off, if I left it on while I was out hunting. So, even for one day "planned" out, I still took one extra set of batteries for that.

Radio, of course, will depend on how much you actually talk on it, but I haven't used it before while hunting, so I can't give you any estimate on that.

For lights, unless you have something like a Surefire that goes through batteries like my truck goes through gas, throw a fresh set in right before you leave and that should be fine.

Food - strip off any excess packaging that isn't needed - cardboard containers, etc. That will save space and weight.

Find something to compress the clothes - that will save you a lot of room. Won't help you today, but places like REI, etc, sell compression sacks for that purpose.

Ah, the nostalgic aroma of a yak dung stove brewing up some tea full of herbs best left untranslated.
From the Zen Backpacking Site

TB backpacking list

This is not a complete list. This is just a rough list for me when I start packing. I have listed all the weights in ounces of the equipment that I use. Some of it is good stuff, some needs to be upgraded. (rain gear for example). And not everything has a weight for it yet.

All really depends on where and when you'll be hunting, what temperature it will be, how you hunt, etc but I hope this helps and gives you an idea.

I actually have my clothes, tent, and bag in three separate compression stuff sacks. How big are the newer tents and bags.....say a Hilleberg Akto and a 20 degree bag? I really think my bag is taking up too much room. I'd say second is my tent.

with batteries you have to use lithium's. they are by and large worth the money. also for food, try using a 1 gallon size zip lock for each day. if the food for a day doesn't fit in the 1 gallon zip lock, good chance you don't need that much or you need to find different food.
-TB